Best Time to See Tarantulas in the US
September, October and July is the best time to see tarantulas in the United States. This is a national picture built from 38,697 verified iNaturalist observations across 14 states, showing when and where tarantulas are most active.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself.
38,697 verified observations of tarantulas in the US, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When tarantulas are recorded in the US
Peak month
September
7,185 records (18.6% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| January | 366 | 0.9% |
| February | 327 | 0.8% |
| March | 876 | 2.3% |
| April | 2,162 | 5.6% |
| May | 3,705 | 9.6% |
| June | 3,993 | 10.3% |
| Julypeak | 4,919 | 12.7% |
| August | 4,714 | 12.2% |
| Septemberpeak | 7,185 | 18.6% |
| Octoberpeak | 6,699 | 17.3% |
| November | 2,956 | 7.6% |
| December | 795 | 2.1% |
Tarantulas you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Texas Brown Tarantula | 10,719 |
| Desert Tarantula | 5,319 |
| Desert Blonde Tarantula | 4,596 |
| California Ebony Tarantula | 2,171 |
| Steindachner's Ebony Tarantula | 2,105 |
| Texas Tan Tarantula | 1,931 |
| Grand Canyon Black Tarantula | 1,253 |
| Chiricahuan Gray Tarantula | 934 |
Across the country, tarantulas sightings peak in September, when 7,185 of the 38,697 annual observations are logged, about 18.6% of the national total. Nationwide activity stays high through September, October and July.
The best states to see tarantulas by recorded sightings are California (11,967), Texas (11,166), Arizona (8,117), New Mexico (2,521) and Oklahoma (1,318). Each state page below breaks the year down month by month for that state.
The tarantulas you are most likely to encounter nationwide are Texas Brown Tarantula, Desert Tarantula and Desert Blonde Tarantula, the most-recorded species across all states combined.
Best states to see tarantulas
- tarantulas in California11,967 sightings, peak October
- tarantulas in Texas11,166 sightings, peak May
- tarantulas in Arizona8,117 sightings, peak July
- tarantulas in New Mexico2,521 sightings, peak October
- tarantulas in Oklahoma1,318 sightings, peak June
- tarantulas in Utah1,062 sightings, peak September
- tarantulas in Colorado1,037 sightings, peak September
- tarantulas in Nevada584 sightings, peak October
- tarantulas in Arkansas486 sightings, peak October
- tarantulas in Kansas201 sightings, peak September
- tarantulas in Missouri175 sightings, peak May
- tarantulas in Louisiana61 sightings, peak October
- tarantulas in Idaho1 sightings, peak November
- tarantulas in Mississippi1 sightings, peak September
Most-recorded tarantulas species nationwide
- Texas Brown Tarantula10,719 records
- Desert Tarantula5,319 records
- Desert Blonde Tarantula4,596 records
- California Ebony Tarantula2,171 records
- Steindachner's Ebony Tarantula2,105 records
- Texas Tan Tarantula1,931 records
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see tarantulas in the US?+
September is the single best month nationwide, with the broader peak running through September, October and July, based on 38,697 verified observations across 14 states.
Which states are best for seeing tarantulas?+
By recorded sightings, the top states are California, Texas and Arizona. California leads with 11,967 verified observations.
How many tarantulas sightings are recorded in the US each year?+
About 38,697 verified tarantulas observations are logged on iNaturalist across 14 states with enough data to chart a seasonal pattern.
What kinds of tarantulas live in the US?+
The most-recorded species nationwide are Texas Brown Tarantula, Desert Tarantula and Desert Blonde Tarantula, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
Full tarantulas guides by state